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December 24, 2010

This has been quite a week, for sure. I've generally been enjoying myself and having a good time with my family - like finishing C25k (go me!), playing Wii Fit with my siblings, or going to my kid brother's chorus concert (he sang like a baby angel, it was totally precious!).

And, as expected, there has been lots of note taking for future blog posts. Looking back on all the worrying I did before getting to Connecticut, I feel strange - not because I worried too much, but because I had a very singular focus with my concerns. There are so many difficult challenges that I face here, and not all of them are about food. (For example, hearing from Scott. Serious yikes, with details to come later.)

It hasn't been terrible - though there have been snickers and sneers at what I choose to put on my plate, whether related to the food itself or the quantities I've chosen. It seems that there is a double standard: there's criticism if I choose more veggies and less meat, but if I reach for a cookie, they condescendingly ask if that works with my diet and then joke that I've "rejoined the Dark Side".

Also, my family is not big on meal planning, and in the seven days that I've been here, they've had at least four fast-food/takeout meals. If they bring it home, it's not too bad, since I can find other things to cook for myself - but the other night we were out late doing some Christmas shopping and they decided to go to Wendy's. Before I left Chicago, I had scoured restaurant menus to plan out better choices for these inevitable situations, and I had used the guide that I had prepared when we went to Taco Bell - but more fast food twenty-four hours later? It wasn't about calories, I just didn't want it.

I've kept a strong resolve, though, and I'm very pleased with myself so far. I have been doing well with maintaining a sense of balance, which is totally key. One thing that has helped a lot is this trick I read about in the Weight Watchers magazine:

Before a holiday party or occasion, put on some bangles (I had these plastic ones laying around from my angsty teen years - you could definitely go fancier). When you have a "treat," move a bracelet to the other wrist. When you're out of bracelets, you're done! It's really helped me with keeping in control - even though it's not even Christmas yet, there have been an abundance of baked goods around, and I just can't play my usual role of official taste tester anymore. I chose six bracelets, with no significance other than having six different color choices, and most days so far, I've used only three or fewer.

8 comments:

Good Morning, Mary~As I read your post I couldn't stop shaking my head. I am continually amazed at why people feel the need to interfere with the choices of others. It's my opinion that you are making them uncomfortable with your choices because they don't have the willpower/energy to change their own behaviors, so they reflect that back onto you. You are the scapegoat, so to speak. Just remember, this has nothing to do with you and everything to do with them. Just be your best.Have a wonderful Christmas, Mary :)

I'm happy to hear things are going well! I have been exercising lots, but have fallen victim to a lot of food - I definitely should have planned better like you did! I have been mostly good between events but it's at the event that I misbehave! Merry Christmas!!

I'm glad you're having a good time and well done for finishing C25k!!!!

I guess it can be a bit annoying when everyone starts commenting on all your food choices but I guess you had expected that so you've done well to get through it and continue to try your best. Great tip about the bracelets too!

It sounds like you're balancing things well between your ideal diet and real life. That's tough for sure.

You're going better than me, but at least I'm back home tomorrow. I haven't had as many comments from family as you have, but there have been a few, and it's funny how hyper aware of them we are. I'm trying to hear them and just move on, but sometimes they really stick in the craw. Not to mention that I'm actually quite worried about some other family members that just make really bad choices. But it's each person's own journey in the end.